NOM Marriage News: June 26, 2009

This week, I'm on a road trip across America with Sue and my six kids.

Maggie called me up Monday and said, "Where are you?" Salt Lake City. The next time it was, "I'm in Yellowstone Park."

Let me tell you something, the world that God made is pretty amazing. The country that Americans created is pretty amazing too.

Here's the good news from New York: Gov. Paterson backed down on gay marriage, at least for the moment. He's no longer including gay marriage among the bills he is pushing in special session. At least for the moment.

Congratulations! And thank you, to each one of you who responded to our call to action in New York. (Congratulations, also, to local groups such as New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedom and the historic Black-Hispanic Democratic alliance of pastors represented by groups like the City Action Coalition as well.)

The fight for marriage is far from over in New York--we'll keep you informed--but thanks to you, we made a huge difference.

Let me tell you the backstory in New York, which is just a variation on a theme being repeated all over the country.

It is the story of how a very intelligent, competent, well-funded minority can impose its values on the rest of us--and how we can learn to fight back!

How in the world did gay marriage get front and center in New York in the middle of a fiscal and economic crisis? Well, the answer is in a fabulous piece of reporting in the June 29 New York magazine.

The truth underscores how surprising and amazing what you helped NOM accomplish is: Gay-marriage advocates planned all along to pass a gay marriage bill this year.

But they wanted to do it by stealth--quietly behind the scenes.

That's right: While politicians and insiders were assuring the Catholic Conference and others that there would be no vote this year, gay-marriage advocates were confidently assembling a "secret majority" for gay marriage, one which would permit them to ram the bill through quickly--before marriage advocates had time to alert the public and let regular folks know what their politicians in Albany were up to.

New York magazine gives the National Organization for Marriage (that's you and me and thousands of other marriage supporters working together) credit for helping turn this situation around: "Meanwhile, an organized opposition was taking root. Starting in mid-May, the National Organization for Marriage, founded by pundit Maggie Gallagher, spent $600,000 on, among other things, more than 2 million robo-calls, primarily to Republicans and independents. 'The amount of political pressure it takes the Legislature to do something is a lot more than getting it to do nothing,' she said. 'I have to generate enough public pressure to get politicians to do nothing. How hard should that be?'"

We know that thanks to your help, we flooded the legislature with thousands of phone calls and emails from outraged constituents: Sen. Alesi, one of the few Republicans who hinted he might vote for the bill, admitted his office was inundated with calls. And privately state senators sent up the word: "We're with you! Take us off your list, please!"

When the people speak up loud and clear, politicians sit up and notice.

Only one thing is more important to politicians in Albany than what the voters want, it seems: money.

Here's the other fact New York magazine's investigative reporting reveals: Why is gay marriage so prominent on the Democrats' agenda now? The answer is Colorado billionaire Tim Gill.

Yes, Tim Gill is the same guy who "flipped" the state legislature in Iowa, so that frustrated and outraged Iowans would not get the chance to vote for marriage and overturn the unjust supreme court decision.

Tim Gill and his friends allegedly also spent $9 million to "flip" the New Hampshire legislature from red to blue--which is why, in spite of the intense public outrage against gay marriage in the Granite State, so many politicians bought and paid for by an out-of-state billionaire pushed gay marriage against the manifest will of the people of New Hampshire. (We're looking forward to working with Kevin Smith and other New Hampshire citizens to do something about that!)

New York magazine says Tim Gill is responsible for flipping control of the New York state senate to Democrats too:

In 2007, ... the Gill Action Fund, arguably the most powerful gay-rights group in America, decided to intervene. The fund, started by Colorado software mogul Tim Gill in 2005, had turned the art of flipping legislatures into a science. In states with narrowly divided statehouses like Iowa, Colorado, New Hampshire, and Oregon, it was able to help surgically remove threats of gay-marriage bans and build momentum behind same-sex marriage laws and other gay-rights legislation, by injecting millions of dollars from a vast network of donors into select races. The targets of Gill's money often didn't realize they were in the crosshairs until they were voted out of office.

Gill's political director, Bill Smith, a former Karl Rove associate, began working with the Empire State Pride Agenda, the state's long-standing gay-rights lobbying group, led by former labor operative Alan Van Capelle. They came up with a plan to help the Democrats take the Senate and advance a gay-marriage bill in 2009. ...

By late summer, they decided to pour $1 million into defeating several vulnerable Republicans, especially Serphin Maltese in Queens and Caesar Trunzo in Long Island. ...

In November, Democrats picked up two seats, electing Brian Foley in Long Island and Joseph Addabbo Jr. in Queens (both of whom were publicly undecided on gay marriage) and entered the year with a 32-to-30 majority. Smith became majority leader. Democrats say Gill's money probably put them over the top.

Here's what I've learned watching this unfold: Together we can fight the billionaires--we can make a difference. Even in "swing" districts in blue states like New York, thousands of voters are appalled by the spectacle of watching their politicians bow to the will of a plutocrat rather than pay attention to the people's priorities.

But here's the other thing I've learned: To make a difference in politics we have to be in politics. That's why we announced the formation of NOM PAC New York.

I promise: The first $500,000 will be used to fund a primary challenge to any GOP senator who betrays the people of his district by voting at Tim Gill's behest for gay marriage.

The response to our announcement has been incredible! On the first day alone, we raised $10,000!

But please, don't stop now. We need your help to fight Tim Gill and the plutocrats' lobby! Can you donate $10 to support NOM PAC New York?

Gay-marriage advocates may have the billionaires and the mainstream media, but you and I have something else: truth, the power of prayer, and the help of millions of ordinary Americans who understand that marriage is perfect the way God made it.

Marriage can't be redefined by politicians and we don't want government to try.

Please pray for our efforts in New York and across this great country of ours. And keep fighting the good fight!

"Gay marriage advocates are once again demonstrating that tolerance in their minds is not a two-way street," said Maggie Gallagher, president of the National Organization for Marriage.

"The Divorce Will Be Televised"
Maggie Gallagher
June 23, 2009
A wedding is the weak link in the family system -- the extraordinary attempt to make biological strangers into closest kin. For me, every divorce -- not just Jon and Kate's -- prompts questions:

Is being a wife merely a role I've chosen, a thing I enact so long as it benefits me? Or can I do something else with marriage -- import another human being into the essence of my identity -- make being a wife something I am, like being a mother, not merely something I do? Is it possible to really become one flesh?

"New England's Gay Marriage Compromise"
National Journal
June 23, 2009
"They want to bring the issue into my life," said an actor in a television spot released by the National Organization for Marriage in April. "My freedom will be taken away," another added. "I am part of a New Jersey church group punished by the government because we can't support same-sex marriage," a third actor chimed in.

"Gay Marriage Stuck in N.Y. Senate Chaos"
New York Blade
June 19, 2009
The former Democratic Leader Malcolm Smith is for marriage equality, but it was unclear whether he'd bring the measure to the floor for a vote. He insisted that he would not jeopardize the bill's chances by bringing a floor vote before he knew he had enough Senators' support to pass it. Post-shakeup, Sen. John Sampson is leading that party, but his stance on the issue is currently unknown. Dem. Sen. Pedro Espada Jr., who might also be leading the party, is a co-sponsor of the marriage bill and said he'd bring it to a floor vote.

Anti-gay group National Organization for Marriage is using this extended lull before the vote to pressure lawmakers. Politico reports it has formed NOM PAC New York to oppose any GOP senators who vote for marriage. They'll use $500,000 in resources against gay-friendly legislators in the primaries.

"Foe of NY's same-sex marriage probed"
Lower Hudson Journal news
June 22, 2009
The California Fair Political Practices Commission is investigating complaints that NOM operates as a front for the Mormon church and that the church failed to report millions of dollars in nonmonetary contributions to the campaign.

The complaint was lodged by Los Angeles gay rights activist Fred Karger, who formed Californians Against Hate to protect gay marriage in the state.

"Congressman King says calls not an indicator he'll run for governor"
Radio Iowa
June 23, 2009
A new automated telephone poll featuring Republican Congressman Steve King is reviving speculation he will run for governor. The call is sponsored by the National Organization for Marriage and questions Iowans about their views on same-sex marriage.